Research Team To Capture, Study Bears In Yellowstone National Park

Federal, tribal and state agencies will conduct scientific grizzly bear and black bear research to monitor their populations in Yellowstone National Park from Aug. 21 through Oct. 31, according to a news release from the park.

The team of agencies, known as the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST), will bait and capture bears at several remote sites within Yellowstone.

The bears are then anesthetized to allow wildlife biologists to place radio collars on them and collect scientific samples for studies. All captures and handling are done in accordance with strict protocols developed by the IGBST.

Once captured, the bears are anesthetized to allow wildlife biologists to radio-collar and collect scientific samples for study. All captures and handling are done in accordance with strict protocols developed by the IGBST.

All sites will have posted warnings for the closure perimeter. Potential access points will also be posted with warning signs for the closure area. Backcountry users who come upon any of these posted areas must heed the warnings and stay out of the area.

The Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team was established in 1973. Gathering data from the grizzly and black bears is part of a long-term research and monitoring effort to help wildlife managers devise and implement programs to support their conservation in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

The team is composed of representatives of the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribal Fish and Game Department, and the states of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.